


Wars

by gonefornow



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bottom Calum, Cake, Calum makes Luke wait, Consensual, Eventual Smut, M/M, Top Luke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-10 23:04:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3306656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonefornow/pseuds/gonefornow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A racist Australian government is pushing blondes into positions of power and anyone who is of non-white or Aboriginie descent is being ostracized from society. Luke and Calum have known each other since they were children & have loved each other since they were in their teens. Calum is half-Maori & forced to work construction to help his family survive, while Luke is a powerful army Commander. A war is coming between rebels and the Australian government & Luke and Calum find themselves on opposite sides. What are they going to do?</p><p>Chapter 1 is just set-up (not much Cake). Chapter 2 is Cake-heavy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Was originally posted on Wattpad. But I reread it & decided I liked it enough to post it on AO3 as well! So read it, hopefully enjoy it, and please leave me love ! :)

The _image_ of what it meant to be Australian had changed. When you turned on the news now, instead of finding a mix of native Maori dark-haired, dark-eyed tan young woman, and white, black, and Asian settlers, it was always a blonde with blue eyes. Prominent politicians looked like they could have landed in Australia from Sweden yesterday, all big, broad and light-haired. Maoris and other minorities had fewer and fewer representation in any facets of government or entertainment. Rarely did you see a black-haired government official; the higher up in the ranks you went, the more Nordic looking they became. Even lowly civil servants rarely were any darker than light brown hair or amber eyes.

It had not happened over night, but over the course of the decades that President Purple had been in power. That was strange too for a democracy. Usually a president was elected for 2 terms; in Australia that meant a maximum of 10 years. But President Purple had been in control for nearly 25 years now.

Calum noticed the strangeness first when he was around 8 years old; his best friend Luke started staying after school for a special class. He didn't think much of it; Luke was smart. Maybe smart kids were taking harder stuff? Then the Saturday afternoon classes started as well. Calum didn't know what to make of it. That was strange because Zayn was not in those classes but his grades were about as good as Luke's.

He didn't give it much thought until he walked Luke to his Saturday class one day after they spent the afternoon kicking around a football. He'd asked Luke what happened in there, not that he wanted to go to class on a Saturday or anything, but just because he was curious. The other boy had invited him along to come check it out.

Calum was laughing and joking around with his buddy as they walked into the Norwest Private School building. But he stopped outside the door to Luke's classroom as he saw the kids inside. Even at nine, he instinctively knew that he didn't quite fit in. It took him a minute to figure out what it was, even though the kids inside were chattering and behaving like any other class full of 9 year olds, they did not look like a regular group of kids. This was a class full of blondes.

A blonde woman, a teacher from the looks of her, came up to Luke and Calum as they stood outside the door. "Hello Luke, who is this you have with you?" Calum could hear the odd strain in her voice; he noticed the way she was eyeing him distrustfully.

"He's my friend from day-school. He wanted to know what we do here every Saturday. I told him to come check it out."

"Oh dear, I don't think that would be appropriate. He doesn't quite _fit_ , does he? And anyway, this is your _friend_? He certainly doesn't _look_ like a friend of yours. There are so many other children in our class Luke. Why don't you pick one of them to be your friend instead?" She had ignored Calum through the entire thing.

Calum didn't understand what she was saying. Sometimes he ran into adults who didn’t like him, but even at his young age, he could tell this woman saw him as lower than an insect.

"I like Calum & that's it!" Luke was petulant at being told what to do. The woman gave Luke a disapproving glare & ordered him into the class. Luke turned helplessly to go towards his seat, waving a quick goodbye to Calum as he left.

Then the woman turned to Calum, venom and spite in her eyes. "Boy, you better run home. I think it's best if you don't see Luke anymore. You're not proper company for someone of his caliber."

The teacher turned away shaking her head in disgust. _Oh. My. God._ That child had come straight from some field. He looked like he was at least half-Maori with his tan skin and the bushy hair on his head. It would not do for Luke, one of the brightest students in her class and a shining example of Australia's future ruling class, to associate with someone like that. She called Luke's parents right after class.

"Yes hello Mr. Hemmings – I'd like you to know that I think it's best if your sons moved to Norwest full-time. They're absolutely capable of handling the course-work here & I believe they'd be around more appropriate companions."

"Yes, other children of white Australians. They would understand each other better, might make for a more rounded youth. Yes, very good… No I think the curriculum might be too simple for them at their old school… He will do much better here, I assure you... Good – we'll transfer him right away."

The next Monday, Ben, Jack, and Luke were transferred to Norwest Private School. Liz's protest had been feeble at best – Luke's teacher had said Norwest had a better curriculum than any other place. Besides, they lived in a multi-ethnic neighborhood, so she figured her boys would have plenty of exposure to different people through that.


	2. Luke's proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke offers marriage. Can Calum accept?

Over the 13 years since Calum's visit to Norwest Private School that Saturday afternoon, Australia had changed for the worse. There was no pretense of a democratic government anymore. President Purple refused to relinquish control of the government. He had created a full-on fascist nation, with a hierarchy based on something as arbitrary as the color of one's skin, hair and eyes. Blue-eyed blondes were at the top, then came redheads, followed by people with light-brown hair. The black-haired tan-skinned Australians were second to last on the totem pole. Only dark-skinned, dark-haired, dark-eyed aboriginie people were below them.

Calum trudged through the pawn shop and into the back to climb up to the dingy apartment where he lived with his sister & mother. They had been forced to move from their old apartment after Calum's dad was killed in a bombing involving his office.

Even before President Purple declared himself the dictator of Australia, there was a rising threat of civil war from the common Australians masses. Things just got worse after President Purple's declaration and the rebels routinely started bombing buildings in government districts to force the government to meet their demands. They had little success with this strategy. Instead there where whispers that the government retaliated by bombing several buildings suspected to be under rebel control. Calum's family did not know if it was the rebels or the government who had bombed the building where his father worked. Mali Koa and his mother did not seem to care very much; the end result was the same in either case.

"Did you get a full day today?" Mali Koa asked as he came in the door. He was covered in dust from the construction site so she knew atleast that he had managed to find some work. He had been gone 12 hours but that did not mean he had worked 12 hours. Sometimes, he could wander the streets for hours, going from one construction site to another to see if anyone would hire him.

"Yeah… they're putting up a new tower by the river. I managed to get there early so they hired me for the full day." He passed a handful of money to his mother in the kitchen; she carefully put the money into a tin jar on top of their decrepit old refrigerator.

"Calum, you stink. Go take a shower, stinky-pants!" Mali Koa pushed her brother to their small bathroom. They were fortunate enough to have running water tonight, although ofcourse it would be cold.

When Calum came out of the bathroom, Mali Koa was setting the table with 3 plates & forks – dinner was a simple affair. Some rice, with a little chicken stew left over from yesterday and some pie his mother had baked that afternoon. They ate in silence, all of them too tired from their long days to try and make conversation. After dinner, Calum headed into his bedroom to try and get some sleep for another exhausting day tomorrow.

Mali Koa & her mother did the dishes in the kitchen, not that there was much to do. They were startled from their easy silence when there was a knock at the door.

Mali Koa opened the door and in walked Luke Hemmings, dressed in army greens. He had grown up to look like a combination of his mother and father. A tall broad shouldered young man with piercing blue eyes and true blonde hair. He was the face of 'Future leaders of Australia'.

"Hello Luke," Mrs Hood called from the kitchen. "It's been a long time since we have seen you. It's too bad you didn't come earlier, you just missed dinner. Are you shipping out to the army base today?"

Luke was going to become an officer for the army as did all the children of Australians foreigners who looked like him. But because Luke had done so well in his tactics classes, he was to be a commander right away instead of starting at the rank of Captain.

"Yes, that's right. I wanted to talk to talk to Calum before leaving."

"He's in his room – just came back from a 12 hour shift at the new building site. Go on in and see if you can wake him up enough to talk to you."

Luke knocked on the door and walked in to find Calum at his computer. His hair was still slightly damp from the shower and he was wearing a ratty t-shirt and some pajamas.

The brunette looked over his shoulder at the blonde in his uniform. His eyebrow was raised questioningly.

"So you're leaving now, huh?"

"Yeah. The car is coming to pick me up in an hour."

"Why are you here? You know how I feel about you going off to join the army and siding with those fascist pigs."

Luke didn't want to get into this argument again with his best-friend. They had known each other for almost two decades now; when they had turned old enough to have opinions on Australia's political landscape, the differences between them became hugely pronounced. Calum supported the rebels, supported needless chaos and destruction. Luke knew it was because Calum had never learnt the things he had in school – but it was up to Luke to show up him the way to a brighter future.

"I am not here to fight with you about this." Luke walked over to Calum, turned his chair around and then sat down on the ground on one knee in front of the brunette. He stared up into beautiful dark brown eyes as he gathered up the courage for what he was going to do.

"I want to ask you something much more important." He reached up and cupped the brunette's cheek, lightly rubbing his thumb over his lower lip. Red instantly flooded Calum's cheeks and he shifted his eyes away from Luke.

"W-what are you doing?" Calum mumbled, refusing to look Luke in the eyes again.

"I want you to marry me." Luke was pretty happy that he had managed to keep his hands from shaking with nervousness as he pulled out a platinum ring with a diamond inset. It was a family heirloom. His mother had given it to him for Calum – said it wasn't too girly for a male but still beautiful.

"What?" Calum backed his chair away from the blond and stood up as fast as he could, leaving Luke kneeling on the floor, holding the ring. The blond stood as well, and started to approach the blushing brunette; Calum turned his back to him.

Luke pressed himself flush against the shorter man, drawing him protectively into his arms. His hands worked themselves around Calum waist and found Calum's left hand, pushing the ring onto his ring finger. He buried his face in soft dark hair and breathed in Calum's shower fresh scent.

"I love you Calum and I have come to hope that you love me too. Say that you'll make me the happiest man in the world." Luke knew that this was coming from the left-field for Calum. But the blond had reason to hope thing would go according to plan.

On one occasion they had been drunk enough that Luke couldn't stop himself from kissing Calum. He remembered the way the brunette had pressed up against him in surrender, his face becomingly flushed and soft moans and gasps leaving his throat as the blond explored the sinful mouth beyond those soft lips. How he had wanted to take Calum to the nearest horizontal surface that night six months ago and just claim the brunette for himself. But he had resisted, knowing that Calum would regret it in the morning.

After that evening, things had gone back to normal. However, once in a while, when they were alone in private, Luke would stare at the shorter man without shame & Calum would turn away embarrassed and run off to a more public spot. Luke had even caught Calum staring at him questioningly a couple of times; but Calum would just turn away, his cheeks beet red and start sputtering bring up some inane conversation. Luke was content to take things slow and never pushed things to see where he could take them. Calum was too precious for Luke to rush into anything and in the meantime, there were plenty of others who willingly spread their legs for him. But when the order came for him to ship out 3 years earlier than he thought it would, he knew he wouldn't have the luxury of courting the brunette as he wanted to before their union. _I'll make it up to you_ , Luke promised Calum silently.

Calum was still in his arms for a few minutes. He was looking down at the ring, so white against his tan finger. Luke felt him stiffen in his arms and then Calum pulled away.

"I have known you a long time. And I have loved you almost as long. I have wanted what you're offering forever. But you're going to fight against everything I believe in." Calum's back was still turned to Luke, but the blond could hear the tired note in his voice. This was what he was afraid their big argument would be. At least Calum had decided not to waste their time with another bullshit argument about their lack of a relationship. The brunette was not naïve enough to ignore how protective and possessive was of him, wouldn't try to deny that Luke loved him atleast.

Luke decided to start with the most pragmatic approach. "Calum, whether you like it or not, Australia is changing. I know you believe in the rebel groups and I know you think we're all going to hold hands and sing Kumbaya one day but we are not. Foreign Australians are become stronger and stronger politically. What you hope for is impossible."

Calum whilrled back to him; this time his cheeks were flushed in anger. "You don't know that!"

Luke surveyed him calmly. "You're right – I don't know that. But I do know what I saw in the training barracks – women like your sister servicing row after row of soldiers. If she were from another family, she might have a better chance because she is light-eyed. But she has you for a brother and I don't need to tell you what any employer will tell her if she applies for a job. So what will happen to Mali Koa now that we're on the brink of civil war? Her father is dead, her brother is a tan-skinned construction worker, her mother washes other people's clothes till her hands bleed for a living. And it won't just be the army soldiers who get at her. The rebels will try to take her too and you won't be able to do much to stop either side."

"Shut up!" Calum crowded up into Luke's space and grabbed his collar threateningly. Luke stayed unperturbed, knowing that he'd need to force the brunette to accept the situation. So he continued.

"What about your mother? Do you think she enjoys working so hard in her middle-years? But she can't stop can she? You know she will be working till the day she dies if you deny me." He wrapped his arms around Calum, pulling the brunette closer and tilting his chin up so he could look into the beautiful face.

"And what about you?" He whispered softly against Calum's forehead. "After the war breaks out, do you think you'll find any more of the work that you do? Who will hire you after they look at you? What will you do to support your family then?" Surprisingly Calum stayed quiet in Luke's arms; Luke hoped he was starting to see the logic in this proposal. Really this was the Hood's best option.

"I can save you and your family from all the pain when civil war breaks out. It will be hard for my superiors to accept you as my consort but I am valuable enough for them to excuse my marrying a darkie."

Luke reeled back in shock at the punch across his jaw. Calum may have been 5'11 to Luke's 6'1 but he could still throw a punch.

"You bastard!" Calum punched him again, this time in his stomach. "You come in here with your superiority complex, talking about saving me from some deep dark ending. You expect me to be happy that you're taking me despite the heritage I was born with, as if it was a heinous crime on my part." He turned his back to the blonde again. "This is not the Luke I knew when we met – that godforsaken Norwest Academy has changed you into a monster."

Calum turned back to Luke again, this time holding the ring in his open palm. "The answer is no."

Instead of taking the ring, Luke grabbed the extended hand and pulled the brunette into his arms. He quickly tilted Calum's chin up and kissed him, his other arm wrapped tightly around his waist to ensure that Calum couldn't pull away. Calum's muffled screams soon turned into a sweet moan and the shorter man seemed to forget to fight against him. Instead, his fingers clutched the green material of Luke's shirt as the blond claimed his mouth.

It might've been a cliché but Luke was finding it difficult to pull away from Calum's lips: he was a soldier going off to fight a war after all and Calum would be waiting for him to come back safe. He hoped anyway.

Just before Calum's sighs from his kisses and the bed nearby got to be too much of a temptation for him, Luke pulled away. The brunette threw his head back and Luke couldn't resist the temptation to leave a possessive hickey on the smooth brown column of his throat. "Mmm…. Luke…" Luke couldn't help the satisfied smirk at the soft sigh from Calum. He pressed his mouth against Calum again in a soul-searing exploration of his mouth, his tongue flicking in and out of the brunette's mouth in a parody of how he wanted to join their bodies even more intimately. Still, he knew this was not the right time so he forced himself to let Calum go completely and stepped away to put some distance between their bodies.

Luke took the ring from Calum and then gently bent down to kiss his left hand. "I'm going to be back in 6 months. You'll have seen enough by then to know this is the best for everyone." Calum opened his mouth to protest as Luke stood back up to his full height and slowly slid the ring back to its intended place on that slender tan hand.

"Keep it on until you see me again. It'll keep you safer; if you're in trouble with the guards, show it to them and tell them to bring you to me."

Without waiting for the brunette to reply, he walked out of the room. He nodded his head at Mali Koa and Mrs. Hood as he slipped out their front door. While things could have gone better, they certainly could have gone a lot worse. Luke felt certain that when he returned, Calum would have lost enough naivety to accept him.

Calum was sitting on his bed, staring at the ring on his finger. That man made the simplest things so complicated. Calum knew he hated the current Australians government and Luke was the poster-child for the very thing he hated – it should have been the easiest thing in the world to take that damn ring off his finger & throw it out the window. Or maybe sell it at the pawn-shop.

But try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Each time he'd tried in the half hour since Luke left his room, he would remember the blonde's solid body holding his, so protective and loving. Calum was always so used to being the strong one & fighting for his sister & mother that he almost wanted to give into the blond. And he had been honest when he hold Luke he loved him.

He pushed his treacherous thoughts away and got up to see what his mother and sister were doing in the living room. They were both settled on the couch, watching television. A commercial about a fairness cream was playing on the screen. But neither Mali Koa nor his mother were paying attention to it, focused as they were on him.

He blushed as he met his mother's stare. The walls in this apartment were thin. She had probably heard everything.

"Calum, you could do a lot worse," Mrs. Hood's voice was frank. "If you feel something for him, then you should swallow your pride and accept him. He will keep you and your sister safe." She was not the idealist her son was. She didn't know much about politics but didn't feel she needed to; although the rebels out-numbered the government soldiers by 10:1, the government had much more advanced weaponry. The coming war would leave Australia in a ravaged state and Mrs. Hood felt fairly certain that Luke was the best way to keep not only her son but her daughter out of harm's way as well.

Calum stared at his mother, not believing what he was hearing from her. "Mom, he thinks it's ok that people who look like us are treated like dirt. How can I agree to this?"

"No matter what you think of history son, it's the winning side who writes what is morality. I'd much rather see you on the winning side and alive than dead on the losing side and clutching your morals."

Calum turned to his sister who had stayed silent while their mother voiced her opinion. "What do you think Mali Koa?"

She turned her eyes up to him; they were a beautiful honey-amber, fringed by long light brown eyelashes. "I don't see that you have much choice in the matter. He wants you and he can take you anytime. He is being a gentleman by atleast going through the formality of asking. But make no mistake, when he comes back, he will not stop until you belong to him."

 


	3. Chapter 3

Calum pulled his threadbare coat tighter around himself as he walked down the dimly alley towards his home. It had been another fruitless day of wandering, hoping maybe someone would hire him for some menial labor with no luck. Unable to face going home empty handed to the gaunt faces of his mother and sister, he went through the butcher's dumpster and picked out the bones and entrails that were thrown out. He wrapped up his meager findings in some newspaper and hoped that his mother would be able to do something with them.

A couple of months passed since Luke proposed to him and the civil war finally started two weeks ago. At first, Calum was thrilled that the masses were fighting back against its oppressive government. Then more concrete concerns began to set in. Things like finding work and putting food on the table. Luke had been right about one thing. Construction work came to a dead stop as soon as the war began. A lot of small businesses also shut down. Of the few businesses still left, none were hiring, especially not someone like Calum. He was as much the poster-child for the rebels as Luke was for the government. No business wanted to be labeled rebel-sympathizer and risk being bombed.

Calum had almost reached the pawn-shop when he noticed the strange figure stumbling into the dark alley behind him, away from the busier main road. The person was wrapped up in several layers, a scarf wound around their face. Calum couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. But the figure was having a hard time staying standing, collapsing at the side of the building just at the mouth of the alley.

He heard the whistles before he saw the army soldiers run past the mouth of the alley – obviously they were looking for someone, probably a rebel. Most likely the stranger passed out in the alley, And judging from how many soldiers were running around, the rebel must have been someone important.

He had two choices: he could ignore the person and go inside. Lock the doors and hope that the soldiers would not bother him or his family. But if the soldiers found the rebel hiding in the alley, there was no telling what they could do to everyone who lived there. This was one of the poorest neighborhoods, populated by the darkest people in Sydney. There would be no protests if the army burnt the whole place down. His other choice was to help the rebel. Ofcourse if he was caught, he would be killed on the spot, no questions asked.

Calum was galvanized into action as he saw one of the army soldiers stare a little too long into the alley. They can't find a rebel here! He thanked the dim lighting and stayed close to the shadows as he made his way to the slumped body near the mouth of the alley. As he got closer, he saw the long straggly purple hair hanging out from below the cap and got a clearer look at the pale face; it was a woman. The rebel let out a little moan of pain as Calum dropped by her side.

"Quiet," he whispered almost inaudibly. "The soldiers are right around the corner."

He lifted her slight frame into his arms and slinked towards his apartment as quietly as he could. He paused at the back-door to the pawn-shop, checking to make sure no one else was in the alley before he slipped noiselessly inside. He climbed as silently as he could to the second story apartment where his sister waited for him on the stoop, kerosene lamp in her hand. The woman in his arms had passed out by now but her hands were still wrapped around a big gray bag she clutched to her chest.

"Who is that Calum? What is she doing here?" Mali Koa's voice was a harsh whisper as she saw the bundle in her brother's arms. She quickly shut the door behind them.

Calum gently lowered the woman to the couch then turned to look at the terrified faces of his mother and sister.

"I don't know who she is but army soldiers were looking for her. You know I couldn't let them find her here – both of you remember what happened to 33rd Street when they found that rebel leader hiding there."

"So what are we going to do with her?" His mother asked.

Calum didn't know and he admitted it. He reluctantly moved onto the other topic that needed to be addressed: "I had to go through the butcher's dumpster tonight." He pulled out the ratty newspaper containing almost inedible meat and gave it to his mother. She would know he hadn't found work today either. The 12th day in a row.

Mrs. Hood took the package from him and silently got to work in the kitchen. With gunshots outside, they could not afford to draw attention to themselves by turning on lights. Instead, the drapes were tightly closed and there were 2 kerosene lamps burning in the house. One in the kitchen where Mrs. Hood used the entrails and bones to make a thin stew. The other in the living room, where Mali Koa fumed silently as she and Calum tended to the rebel woman's injuries.

She was dirty and scratched up but mostly unharmed, except for a deep gash on her leg. When they had stripped her of her clothing to clean her wounds, Calum could tell that she was thin but relatively well-nourished. She was younger than he first thought, looked to be about 19. Her pale face was pretty; her light purple hair was the sort of thing President Purple would call 'uniquely beautiful'.

"Why is a White Australian like her running from the army soldiers?" Mali Koa voiced his thoughts exactly. They'd both have to wait till morning for answers though because there was no way the woman would wake up now, passed out as she was from exhaustion.

Their mother called them to eat in the kitchen and the three made a quick meal out of the entrail stew and the last of their bread. Mrs. Hood took some stew over to the girl afterwards and forced some down her throat as Calum and Mali Koa looked through her bag to see if they could find out who she was. There was no identity card in there or on her person. But they found building plans with detailed bombing guides and lists for future air-strikes, with the government seal on them.

So this girl had stolen war plans from the army – no wonder they were chasing her. Calum and Mali Koa shared a look between themselves. This was no ordinary rebel. They silently agreed to keep that detail from their mother – no need for her to worry when there was nothing she could do.

\--

The next morning, Calum woke at sunrise to the smell of warm bread in his nostrils; he knew he must be still dreaming. His family had not had breakfast in months. But when the enticing aroma wouldn't leave after a few moments, he got out of bed and went to the kitchen to see what was happening.

He was almost sure he was hallucinating. His mother was slathering delicious strawberry jam onto thick slices of nutty bread.

"Calum, you're awake!" There was a lightness in his mother's voice he hadn't heard in a while.

"Wow mom – where did that come from?" He looked pointedly at the heat still rising off the bread.

"Ermmm… that was from me… to say thank you for what you did last night." Calum was momentarily startled by the voice coming from the living room.

"You're the one who brought me here, right?" The young purple-haired woman was sitting up in the sofa, smiling gratefully at him.

"Yes – I'm Calum."

"I know. Your mom said you found me in the alley and carried me up. Thank you. You probably saved my life." They looked awkwardly at each other for a second before the woman extended her hand forward for a handshake.

"I'm Perrie, by the way."

"So why is a White Australian like you acting like a rebel?" The question came from Mali Koa, who came out of her room to stand in front of the couch and look down suspiciously at Perrie.

"Not all of us White Australians agree with what the government is doing." She took a moment to compose herself and then told them her story. "Before the war started, I fell in love with a mixed-ethnic man who worked in my dad's lab. We were secretly married. My dad works for the army and was not happy about our relationship when he found out. He fired my husband, and locked me in the house – he tried to force us to stay apart and told me never to see him again. But we were able to communicate through a friend who was a courier."

She struggled to keep her voice steady. "The other day, I overheard my dad talking to one of the Commanders in the army about bombing a rebel base in Melbourne. I was so frightened - the last message I received from my husband came from Melbourne. So I snuck into my dad's office two days ago and stole whatever plans I could find. I ran away from home."

"Dad didn't take long to figure out what I did because within a couple of hours, there were 'Wanted' signs of me everywhere. Zayn, my husband, told me in one of his messages that there is a safe-house somewhere in this neighborhood that I could come to if I was ever in danger from the army. I must get to that house and get the plans to the rebels as soon as possible so they know what the army is planning."

"Hey here's some delicious breakfast thanks to our guest," Mrs. Hood's voice was forcedly cheerful as she brought over the dish piled with bread. Calum could feel his mother's eyes on him as she turned to hand him a slice, willing him not to do anything stupid or make any promises.

Nothing else was said about the topic at breakfast; instead Perrie told them stories of her childhood and her marriage.

After breakfast, Calum went to his room to change into something he could wear out for the day. He was surprised when his mother entered the room after a perfunctory knock, not waiting for him to respond.

"Don't you DARE think about joining the rebels," Her eyes were blazing with anger and then softened with pain. "Mali Koa & I already lost your father. We can't lose you too."

"Mom…," Calum came up to his mother and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his neck and clutched at his shoulders, trying to make him stay. He knew he had to make her understand that this was the only option left. "We don't have any food – we don't have any money. No one is hiring you for cleaning or laundry. There is no job-site that will take me. If this keeps up, we're going to starve. Or Mali Koa will end up on the streets selling herself for bread. Please don't ask me to watch us go through this."

Mrs. Hood calmed down for a second. "You have another choice." She looked up into his face. Her daughter may have been more conventionally attractive but her son was different. His huge dark eyes stared at her out of his defined face with his high cheekbones and heart-shaped mouth. She understood why Luke Hemmings would want him. She took Calum's left hand in hers, pressing her fingers against the ring and tried to get him to see reason. "Don't deny Luke anymore. I know it will kill your pride to do this. But please… this is for all of our survival."

\--

Four months later, Mrs. Hood was just finishing up a batch of laundry when she heard a knock on the door. It was the middle of the day so it could not be Calum; Mali Koa had recently (and quite miraculously) found some work in a production line at a steel factory so it was not her either. She dreaded admitting it to herself but knew she had no choice but to answer the insistent knocking.

"Hello Luke." The blond looked exactly as he had the last time she had seen him. Dressed in army greens, tall, broad-shouldered but slender with long arms and legs. He looked like the picture of health. So unlike the rest of the people in this neighborhood. His hair, skin and eyes were not the only reason he stood out.

"Mrs. Hood, I'm sure you know why I have come. I know Calum probably won't be home but I could not wait…," He looked around hopefully.

She took a deep breath and readied herself. "Calum has joined the rebels." Her son would not be happy with what she had done but she knew that if Calum was caught by the army, Luke would be his best chance at survival.

Luke did not react. "I see. And when did this happen?"

"Four months after you joined the army, there was a young woman who was running from the army – he helped her escape and has not returned since." She left the part about him routinely bringing back supplies for them and their neighbors out. There was no need to help the army catch him.

She hoped fervently that her instincts had been right about Luke not hurting her or Mali Koa. Not only had she known this boy since he was child, Luke also desperately loved Calum and would not do anything to alienate him.

"Well… Mrs. Hood, the right course of action would have been to report this to the army ages ago. However since you have not seen him for many months and since you have not been harboring a rebel yourself, I suppose we can let this small incident slide for once. I won't be taking up any more of your time then." He turned around to go but just before the door shut behind him, he whispered.

"Tell your son he is fighting against the inevitable."

\--

Jack could see the anger radiating off his brother and commander as he came down the stairs from the shabby apartment building. "What happened?"

Luke didn't even bother to look at Jack. "Order a constant guard around this house. Make sure every foot-soldier has memorized Calum’s face by tomorrow morning," He clenched his fists. "I want him caught by the end of the month by any means necessary."


	4. Capture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum gets caught.

 

"This is the Commander's tent." The guard leading him was a beefy redhead with a full beard. "Try leaving it without him and the boys and I get to find out how many of us can fit at one time in your sister."

 

Calum thought he was prepared for any scenario when the vile guard held open the tent flap. He probably wouldn't win if it came down to a fight – but he would sure leave some lasting bruises. In best case scenario, Luke would listen to reason and Calum could negotiate his sister's release.

 

He certainly never expected to see a redheaded young woman naked and moaning on the equally naked blonde's lap. Her head was thrown back in pleasure as Luke nuzzled her breasts and fondled her butt as he moved lazily within her. This was not the first time Calum had seen a woman naked. He lost his virginity when he was 16 to a girl who lived across the street. Since then, he had a couple of girlfriends and he thoroughly enjoyed their company – but he was uncomfortable about other people's sex-lives, didn't even like porn. Watching while Luke fucked a woman felt like some kind of sick voyeurism.

 

It had not been a few seconds since he'd entered the tent but it felt like an eternity. There was a painful heaviness in his heart as he watched the scene – but he couldn't seem to pull his eyes away. Luke claimed to love him, right? So what was he doing with that redhead in his arms?

 

Suddenly the blond lifted his head from the woman's chest and piercing blue eyes met shocked brown ones. Keeping his eyes locked on Calum's, Luke smirked and then thrust his hips up so forcefully that the redhead on top of him screeched out his name and wrapped her limbs around him like a boa constrictor. Calum blushed violently and jerked his head away immediately, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and trying not to listen as the pitch of her screams and moans increased. The creaking sound of the bed got so loud Calum was sure he'd hear it crack any second now.

 

Minutes later, Calum heard her come loudly after a particularly rough thrust. He stayed still, head turned to the side and trying to ignore the sound and smell as the two moist bodies separated from each other. He heard the rustle of clothes sliding over skin and fervently hoped this would end soon.

 

"Oh – you were the reason he got so excited in the middle, hmm?" Calum opened his eyes and looked at the woman who had addressed him. She was in her early 20s, 5'5 and slim – her blue eyes were beautiful but jaded as she stared him down. "You certainly aren't what I was expecting…"

 

As Luke, now dressed in a pair of pajamas moved towards them, the woman walked out of the tent, dismissing them both. "I'll be seeing you around."

 

Calum looked Luke straight in the eyes, his brown eyes mocking the blond. "So you love me, huh?"

 

Luke smirked back at him. "Now dear, I wasn't expecting you here so soon… And anyway, is that jealousy I hear in your voice?" He moved closer to Calum, not yet touching him but so close the shorter man could feel the heat radiating off him. He bent his head down to the brunette's ear and pressed a soft kiss to the slim brown throat. "Were you imagining what it would be like to be in her place?"

 

Calum couldn't help the gasp that left his throat. In fact, while he was watching them, his treacherous mind _had_ supplied images on himself sitting on Luke's lap, his own legs wrapped around that toned waist, his fingers in that pale hair, the blonde's tongue lazily exploring his mouth as he leisurely thrust into Calum.

 

He did not consider himself a homosexual, had only been attracted to women before and even now, never found himself interested in any other man. But when Luke had kissed him in their drunken state one night a couple of summers back, he'd had this _need_ to press against that tall hard body in complete surrender and let the blond take whatever he wanted from him. He'd been half-relieved, half-disappointed when Luke stopped; at that point, Calum was lost in a pleasurable haze straddling the blonde's lap. Luke's large hands were possessively roaming the brunette's body, one hand lazily cupping Calum's ass. Calum remembered the feeling of Luke's hard erection grinding against his private entrance through Luke's rough jeans and his own thin shorts; he remembered wondering what it would feel like inside him.

 

Just as he felt Luke's arms start to wind themselves around him and begin to pull him closer, he came to his senses. No! This was wrong! The bastard had been fucking someone else not 10 minutes ago!

 

Calum jumped back violently, pushing Luke away with as much force as he could muster. "Get away from me you dirty scum – I can smell that tart on you and it's going to make me sick!" He took several steps back, trying to put as much distance as he could between the blond and himself.

 

Luke frowned in annoyance. Damn! He thought he was getting close too. Well, no matter. Now that Calum was with him, he could take his sweet time in teasing him till the darker man was reduced to nothing but a simpering ball of nerves, begging Luke to claim him. But, Calum was right about this situation,

 

"I'm sorry. Touching my future bride with the scent of a common harlot on me is despicable. I am ashamed I would try something so low."

 

Calum blinked at the apology. It certainly sounded sincere. Never mind the psychotic blond called him his 'future bride'. Atleast he had stopped trying to seduce him.

 

"I'm going to go take a shower – why don't you make yourself comfortable? There is some fruit, cheese and bread on that table if you are hungry." He pointed to a corner of the large tent.

 

Calum looked at the food – it did look good but… "It's been a long day and your guards threw us around like ragdolls; can I take a shower too?"

 

Luke bent his head down slightly to look Calum directly in the eyes "Want to take one together? I can give you a massage while we're in there…" A suggestive smirk played on his perfect lips.

 

Calum saw red and smacked the blond on the arm. "Pervert! You _just_ finished doing it five minutes ago! How can you want it again right now? Did you sleep your way into becoming Commander?"

 

Luke didn't bother to answer, looking completely unperturbed. He walked over to a trunk by his bed and pulled out a t-shirt and some pajamas. "They'll be big on you but better than those rags you're wearing now. You're going to use the common-soldiers' showers." He tossed the clothes at the brunette and then walked out of the room.

 

Calum followed him silently.

 

**_W-A-R_ **

 

Calum hissed as the cold water touched his heated skin. Summer was just starting and it was a relief to cool down like this. He tiredly leaned against the rough tiles in the shower. He'd forgotten how exhausted he was during the heated situation with the blond. But now the events of the day came back to him. Being captured while he and Mali Koa gathered supplies, the way those men had looked at his innocent sister, flashing the ring on his left hand, and demanding they be taken to Luke to protect Mali Koa from those soldiers.

 

How was his sister doing? Ben promised him he would keep an eye on her. Said he would keep her in his own tent that night. Calum did not know how to feel about that. On one hand, he had known Ben forever. Luke’s older brother was so gentle by nature and Calum could not imagine him willfully hurting anyone. On the other hand, Ben was a hardened Captain in the army, a young man with needs and his sister was beautiful girl alone in his tent. Calum felt queasy and turned green.

 

What about his mom? She must be worried sick because Mali Koa had not returned last night. She may be wondering if Mali Koa was now an army prostitute or maybe she thought Mali Koa had been killed in some explosion. Atleast she knew Mali Koa was with him. That probably gave her some comfort.

 

Or not. His mother had hated his joining the rebels.

 

The rebels. They must be wondering where he was by now too. They needed him. After working in construction for 10 years and moving from one job-site to another, Calum knew the layout of the city well. He was a valuable asset every time the rebels set up a bomb because he could usually tell where the weakest spot was in a building's foundation.

 

And Luke? What did the blonde think he could get from him? Calum knew that Luke could have any lover he wanted, had seen the proof firsthand. So why did the blond want him so much?

 

He deliberately pushed away thoughts of his captor as he finished up his shower and headed back to the tent, the sneering guard following closely behind him until he was safely inside the tent again. He was surprised to find he was not alone. A light-brown haired woman was setting up a cot in a dimly lit corner. Ahh… so he wouldn't be forced to share the Luke’s bed. The thought relieved and disappointed him at the same time.

 

By the time she was done, Luke came back to the tent in a fresh pair of pajamas, a towel in his blond hair. Calum couldn't help notice the beads of water clinging to the taller man's bare chest and arms. Luke was not heavily muscled but Calum could tell there was real strength in those toned arms.

 

"Like something you see?" The appreciation must have shown on his face if Luke's teasing voice was any indication.

 

 _Idiot! You've seen this guy naked many times before! Stop acting like a little virgin._ Calum schooled his face back to nonchalance as best as he could. "Nah … you're just a lot scrawnier under the uniform."

 

"That's funny… for a second you were looking at me like I was a piece of meat… too much to hope for I guess." Luke eyed him up and down again. "I like you in my clothes."

 

Calum looked away uncomfortably, forcing himself not to blush. He tugged at the hem of the t-shirt nervously. There was something so intimate about being dressed in Luke's clothes. It's almost as if they were lovers.

 

Which they were not. And would not be.

 

Atleast until Luke realized he was on the wrong side of this civil war.

 

"I have something for you." Luke came up to stand in front of the brunette. He pulled Calum's ring out of his pocket. He took Calum's left hand and lifted it up so that he could look into the brunette's rich brown eyes as he kissed the ring finger and slid the ring back to its place. Calum could not stop the blush that flooded his cheeks this time.

 

Luke pulled Calum tight up against him, kissing his forehead and trailing his lips down Calum's narrow face. He stopped for a second and looked up to stare straight into beautiful chocolate eyes.

 

Embarrassed at being stared at so unabashedly, Calum dropped his gaze... He knew he should move as far as he could from the blond but the way those hungry blue eyes were staring at him, like he was the blonde's last meal, he couldn't stop the butterflies in his stomach.

 

Luke smirked and lowered his mouth to Calum’s, thoroughly exploring the soft insides of his mouth.

 

Instead of pushing the blond away as he knew he should, Calum sighed his appreciation as Luke's lips met his, and wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck to keep himself up right. He didn't notice the other man  backing him up towards the bed until the back of knees hit the bed and he suddenly found himself on his back, Luke's body a solid comforting weight on top of him.

 

"Nnn... Luke…," Calum gasped as Luke's mouth left his to start working at his neck and jaw, hands on his back at the edge of his draw-string pajamas. Calum's own hands were splayed on Luke's chest. He could feel the hard muscles sliding under the soft skin.

 

Luke looked up from his neck for a second to stare down at Calum. Oh. My. God. Those big eyes staring up at him, disarrayed dark hair laying on his white pillow, cheekbones flushed with heat. The feeling of that slender body pressing against him in surrender and acceptance nearly undid him. He let out a sexy groan and dove for the brunette's kiss bruised lips, grinding his hips into the smaller man so Calum realized exactly what he did to him.

 

Calum's eyes widened as felt the proof of Luke’s desire against his inner thigh. Both their pants were a light cotton and did not offer much protection, not that he wanted any. "Ahhhnnnnn…" He couldn't help grinding his hips back up against the blond in response. Oh god… how he wanted this man. He wanted Luke to strip them both right now till they were naked as the day they were born. Then he wanted to wrap his legs tightly around those muscled hips and draw Luke into himself, and let the blond claim what was rightfully his.

 

Luke had similar ideas. "Please don't deny me anymore…" The bigger man sighed against his lips.

 

"Yeeesss….," Calum sighed back, tangling his fingers in Luke's hair as the blond kissed his mouth again.

 

"Marry me tomorrow and be mine forever."

 

 _Yes… yours… Foreve..wait…. What…?_ All at once, Calum remembered where he was and realized who exactly he was moaning underneath. This was not just Luke, the boy he had known since childhood and had loved with all his heart since he was 16. This was Commander Luke Hemmings. A man who believed he was superior to Calum and others like him because of his ethnicity. No! He could not do this!

 

"Stop!" He pressed his palms against that hard chest and pushed with all his might.

 

Luke didn't know what happened. One second he was in heaven, with Calum's delicious body squirming underneath him, rubbing him in all the right places. The next, he was falling on his ass and the beautiful brunette was scrambling off the bed on the other side. The blond was heavy and strong but he was not expecting Calum try and throw him off, and regrettably the brunette had been able to use that to his advantage. _Things had been going so well… What went wrong…?_

 

"Calum, why did you push me off?" He couldn't keep the annoyance out of his voice. The brunette had moved to the other side of the tent by now and kept his eyes firmly on the floor, unwilling to even look at him. Luke sighed and started moving towards him.

 

Immediately, Calum jumped back further. "Don't come any closer!"

 

Luke was confused. _What the hell is wrong with this idiot now?_ "What happened? Don't try to tell me you weren't enjoying that."

 

"It's not a question of whether I was enjoying it or not," Calum forced himself to meet charged blue eyes, his cheeks flushed in anger and excitement. He couldn't even try to deny he enjoyed Luke's attentions, not when he'd had his legs spread under the blond and practically begging for more. But as much as he'd wanted to let the blond continue, his pride would not let him. "You think people like me are less intelligent, less worthy, less _human_ than people like you."

 

Luke could feel a headache coming on. This argument again. It made him want to fuck Calum raw until he saw reason. His desire for the brunette clashed with his anger at the shorter man; he was left exhausted, enrage, and humming with unsatisfied lust all at once. It was not a good feeling and he knew if he stayed in this private space with Calum, he'd end up doing something regrettable.

 

"I'm not going to argue with you about this again." He left the brunette in the tent and left to see one of the company whores, something he hated doing. Usually, he'd prefer to send message for one of his lovers to come up and see him but that might take up to an hour and right now, he needed to get away from Calum fast.

 

Calum fumed silently as he moved to the cot and laid down, too angry to sleep. The nerve of that guy! He hadn't even tried to defend his beliefs – as if Calum wasn't worthy of any explanations! Well, he'd show that idiot. This was the last time he'd let that big blond bastard touch him ever again.

 

**_W-A-R_ **

 

Calum woke the next morning to the sound of a woman moaning – _whaa… what's happening?_ He sleepily blinked his eyes then looked over in the general direction where the noise was coming from. It took him a moment to understand what he was seeing but when he finally did, he bolted upright in the cot unable to believe what was happening RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. For the SECOND TIME. IN LESS THAN 12 hours.

 

A slim young woman with straight brown hair and skin as pale as the moon was on her back, moaning like a two-bit hooker with her legs wrapped tightly around Luke as the blond fucked her hard on the bed. Calum realized somewhat belated that Luke was watching him and when brown eyes met blue, the scumbag had the audacity to wink at him mockingly.

 

Oh. My. God. Calum immediately lay back down, turning his back to the scene and pulling his pillow over his head to drown out the noises. But unfortunately, he could still hear the creaking of the bed as Luke picked up his pace.

 

"Mmmmm, yes! Ma… Maaa! MMMmmmm….. Lu-uukee….."

 

Did the bitch not realize she sounded like a bleating goat? How could Luke find this attractive?

 

" yesssssss…. Just like that … ooooh you're so haaaaaaaaaaaardddd…." What the hell? Didn't she know that someone else was in the tent with them? And even if they had been alone, her voice would easily carry over to the guards. What a shameless slut.

 

It seemed to last for eternity; finally, he heard them both get out of the bed and heard the woman throw on some clothes and slip out the tent.

 

"So it's going to be like this, is it?" Calum sat up and asked furiously after the whore was gone. Luke was still bare-chested but he had pulled his pajamas from last night back on. "You're going to fuck any dirty hooker you find while I'm sleeping 5 feet away."

 

Luke got out of bed and pulled on his uniform. His voice was frigid when he finally replied, "I'd rather be fucking you but you haven't given me that option." Easily avoiding the glass jug Calum hurled at his head, he stepped outside.

 

"I have work to do. Stay in the tent until I get back."

 

 

 


End file.
